Mapping the Americas

Toolkit
Fun Activities and Plans
for Celebrating Geography
in Schools Inside!
2
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
1
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
August 2008
Dear Educator:
The National Geographic Society is excited to present the Geography Action!
Mapping the Americas Toolkit. This kit will enable you to join thousands of
other educators fromthe United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico in plan-
ning geography celebrations during Geography Awareness Week, November
16-22, and throughout the school year.
The toolkit includes tips for planning a highly interactive and festive event
for students, families, and communities to enjoy. The activities and games
in the toolkit are easy, fun, and educational. Students and families who
participate in a Geography Action! Mapping the Americas event will come
away with a new understanding of how fun maps can be and the diversity of
the peoples and landscapes in the Americas.
Happy exploring!
Sincerely,
Daniel Edelson
Vice President, Education
National Geographic Society
2
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Whats it for?
To help you celebrate geography
in your school during Geography
Awareness Week, annually the third
week of November, and throughout
the school year.
Whats it about?
Mapping and exploring the Americas.
Discover ways to have fun with maps
and to create an environment where
parents and kids alike race each other
to try out their mapping skills and
learn more about the Americas.
Whats in the toolkit?
> Educator Handbook: Select from
dozens of hands-on activities,
including the Geography Action!
Americas Map that students and
their families can create together
on a classroom or even on a
building wall!
> Poster: Use the poster in this
handbook to promote Geography
Awareness Weekin your classroom,
down the hall, or at the supermarket.
> CD: A wide variety of digital
resourcesincluding downloadable
activity sheets and mapswill help
you celebrate Geography Awareness
Week in your school.
Whats on the CD?
There are a ton of useful tools on the
Toolkit CD. Look for bolded, dark blue
text in this book. These are the items
that you will nd on the CD. They
include:
> Geography Action! Projector Map
template
> Geography Action! Tile Map pieces
> Sample Geography Action! event
materials like a press release,
invitation, proclamation, and
evaluation
> Handout blank Americas map
> Activity handouts
Who can use the toolkit?
Teachers of any subject, as well as
other school staff; its not just for
geography class!
What grades is it for?
Activities have been designed for
all grades, K-12. Use the following
symbols as a guide, but remember to
stay exible. You may nd activities
listed under other grade levels that
you can adapt for your students.
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2. Mexico City Triple
Extreme :. LAk0S1 SIANISh-SIAkIN0 I0I0LA1I0N Hexico has the Iargest popuIation of
native Spanish speakers in the worId. z. 8iggest 0ity with :,c:,ccc peopIe, Hexico 0ity edges out New York 0ity by a IittIe more than haIf a miIIion peopIe.
. 0Idest writing System 1he 0Imecs, the rst compIex civiIization to Iive in Hexico, were the rst in the Americas to deveIop
a writing system.
3. Largest Coral Reef 8eIize 8arrier keef, 8eIize NearIy 6c species of coraI and ycc species
of sh caII the 8eIize 8arrier keef home.
Stretching more than zcc miIes (zz kiIometers), the reef aIso hosts
a Iarge popuIation of manatees, crocodiIes, sea turtIes, and doIphins.
4. Oldest Living Animal 0aIpagos IsIands, cuador 1he 0aIpagos IsIands host the oIdest Iiving
animaI in the Americas-the 0aIpagos tortoise
that can Iive for more than :yc years!
5. Largest Exporter of Bananas
1he 0osta, cuador
1he 0osta, which means 0oastaI IIain", grows enough bananas to make cuador the Iargest producer of bananas in the Americas.
6. Longest Mountain Range
Andes , South America Stretching some q,ycc miIes (),zqz kiIometers) fromvenezueIa to 0hiIe's
1ierra deI fuego, the Andes are the Iongest
mountain range in the worId above sea IeveI.
1he Andes aIso contain the highest peak in
the Americas-Argentina's Ht. Aconcagua.
7. Lar
8. Longest River Amazon, South America At q,ccc mi (6,6c m) the Amazon is the
Iongest river in the Americas! 1his river
feeds the Amazonian kainforest, home
to nearIy haIf of the arth's pIant and
animaI species, making it one of the most
bioIogicaIIy diverse and rich regions in the
entire worId.
9. Oldest European Settlement
in the Western Hemisphere
Santo 0omingo, 0ominican kepubIic
1he Spanish coIonized the 0ominiican kepubIic, originaIIy caIIed
hispanioIa. in :q. It's capitoI, San 0omingo, became the rst
uropean settIement in th Americas in :q6.
10. Largest Lake Lake Superior, 0anada and 0nited States
At :,)c: square miIes(z8,:cc square
kiIometers)Lake Superior is the Iargest Iake
in the Americas and one of ve Iakes that
create arth's Iargest freshwater system-
the 0reat Lakes.
1. Hottest Place 0eath vaIIey, 0.S.
0eath vaIIey not onIy cIaims the record
for the Iowest(-z8z feet/-86 meters)
and driest pIace in the 0nited States,
but aIso it is the hottest pIace in the
Americas. In the summer, ground temperatures exceed 0(zcc f)!
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Michal
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Daniel
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Daniel Beaupre,
or use in the classroom.
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Toolk
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Fun Activities and Plans
for Celebrating Geography
in Schools Inside!
K-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
About the Toolkit
3
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Contents
Geography Action! Americas Map and Activities 4
Activities for the Geography Action! Americas Map 7
Geography Action! Event Activities 15
Geography Awareness Week Planning and Execution How-tos 21
Media Outreach and How-tos 24
Mapping Foundations 26
Resources 29
A. Booklist
B. Websites
C. Glossary
D. Appendix
Hottest Place
Death Valley, CA
4
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
In this core activity, a class, school, or school
community works together to create a jumbo-sized
map of the Western Hemisphereincluding North
and South America, Greenland, and the West Indies.
Participants take pieces of a map and t them together
like a puzzle.
The fun of making maps encourages children and their families to become more
familiar with the geography of the Americas and their own communities, and
motivates them to learn more. This communal map becomes the basis for a series
of follow-up and extension activities that provide exciting opportunities for group
discovery and exploration.
Let curiosity and imagination be your guides as you build and explore the Americas.
Choose a Map Format
You can build and explore your Geography Action! Americas Map using one of the
following two formats:
> Map for Projectors
> Tile Map (12 wide x 20 tall)
Both are available on the Geography Action! Toolkit CD (enclosed at the back of this
handbook). Each includes the outlines of the continents and major islands and country
and state borders. The Tile Map also includes names for major cities, lakes, and
rivers. Lighter lines indicate the equator, longitude, and latitude.
Which map format you choose depends on the size and nature of your group, and the
time you have available.
> Map for Projectors
Teachers or staff can choose how large they want their map to be. It can be smaller
than the Tile Map or it can be even bigger.
Tape together sheets of butcher paper, paper tablecloth, or other material to create
the size you want the nished map to be. Project the map outline onto the paper with
an LCD projector or overhead projector, and use felt tipped markers to outline the
continents, countries, states, and other physical features. Then put the map outline on
the oor or a large table for students or a community group to work with.
Assign groups to work on different areas of the map. They can consult atlases, globes,
the Internet, and other references to ll in major featurese.g., capitals and other
major cities, mountains, and names of major rivers or lakes. Give each group a map
legend and guidelines for representing and labeling these featurese.g, gold stars
for capital cities, gray triangles for mountainsso that the assembled map will be
consistent. Hand out copies of the attached worksheet so that each group will know
what information to gather. As they research the information, students can record it
on the worksheet and then return to the map to insert the information.
Geography Action!
Americas Map and Activities
Remember
No matter which format you
use, dont ll the map with too
many features. Leave room
so that students can tape on
new features; take them down
as you explore the map in
different ways over the course
of Geography Awareness
Week. You could study a
different topic each day of
the week!
5
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
> Tile Map (12 wide x 20 tall)
Students or other groups assemble this map
themselves. The nished product can cover the
wall of a classroom, cafeteria, or gymnasium
even the side of a school building. You may want
to split this map into Northern and Southern
Hemispheres (each 10 tall) for ease of display and
to accommodate ceiling heights in your building.
The map comes in approximately 170 pieces, each
the size of a standard 8 x 11 piece of paper. The
printing template is located on the CD found in this
toolkit and can be easily printed on 8 x 11 paper.
Assign participants to work together in small groups. Give each group a
set of contiguous rectangles to work with so that they have some sense
of the physical and political area they are working with. They can work on
the oor or on tables.
The groups consult references such as atlases, globes, and the
Internet to ll in major featurese.g., the capital and other major cities,
mountains, and names of major rivers or lakes. Give each group a map
legend and guidelines for representing and labeling these features
e.g, gold stars for capital cities, gray triangles for mountainsso that
the assembled map will be consistent. Hand out copies of the Map
Research Worksheet on pg. 6 of this handbook so that each group will
know what information to gather. As they research the information,
students can record it on the worksheet and then return to the map
to insert the information.
When everyone has nished, a map construction crew with ladders
and tape can assemble all the pieces of the map on the wall. As the map
grows, a group leader calls attention to what parts of the Americas are
going up and what features can be seen. For example:
> Were starting out in the northwest corner of the Americas.
> What continent are we on now?
> What capital city do you see?
> What river starts in those mountains?
> Whats the imaginary line around the middle of the Earth?
To help hold interest, the leader can also call attention to the Extreme
Americas features as they come up. Use Extreme Americas
symbols, which can be found on the Geography Action! Toolkit CD found
at the back of this handbook, to pin on the map. Alternatively, you can
make a game of looking for these features after the map is complete.
When the last piece is added, everyone should feel a sense of
accomplishment and investment. You can now use the Geography Action!
Map as a focal point for your Geography Awareness Week event.
Largest city in population
> Mexico City, Mexico
Largest Spanish-speaking population
> Mexico
Largest exporter of bananas
> The Costa, Ecuador
Oldest writing system
> Olmec, Mexico
Hottest place
> Death Valley, United States
Tallest waterfall
> Angel Falls, Venezuela
Longest river
> Amazon River, South America
Highest mountain
> Aconcagua, Argentina
Largest coral reef
> Belize Barrier Reef, Belize
Longest-lived animal
> Galpagos tortoise, Galpagos Islands,
Ecuador
Largest country in population
> United States
Largest country in size
> Canada
Largest lake
> Lake Superior, Canada and the United States
Largest desert
> Patagonia Desert, South America
Longest canal
> Panama Canal
Tallest building
> Sears Tower, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Longest bridge
> Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, United States
Smallest independent country
> St. Kitts and Nevis
Largest icecap
> Greenland
Longest mountain range
> Andes, South America
Largest rainforest
> Amazon, South America
Oldest European settlement
> Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
*Footnote: Extremes listed are found within the Americas
Extreme Americas
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45
47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57
59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79
82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89
91 92 93 94 95 96 97
98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106
90
80
107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114
115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122
123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133
134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143
144 145 146 147 148 149 150
151 152 153 154 155 156
158 159 160 161 162
164 165 166 167
169 170 171 172
173 174 175 176 177
180 181 182
168
163
157
69
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45
47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57
59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79
82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89
91 92 93 94 95 96 97
98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106
90
80
107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114
115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122
123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133
134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143
144 145 146 147 148 149 150
151 152 153 154 155 156
158 159 160 161 162
164 165 166 167
169 170 171 172
173 174 175 176 177
181 182
168
163
157
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Extreme Americas Symbol
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Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Map Research Worksheet
Fill in the features on your Geography Action! Map using this worksheet as a guide. Use sources like atlases,
globes, and the Internet to locate physical and human features in the Americas and place their symbols on
your map. Get creative and think of your own symbols and features locate physical and human features in the
Americas, list them on this worksheet, and place their symbols on the map National Parks, UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, endangered animal habitats, and much more!
> Country Capital > Broad Leaf Forest >
> State Capital > Needle Leaf Forest >
> Mountain Ranges > Short Grass >
> Large City (pop. 2 million or more) > Tall Grass >
> Major Rivers > Desert >
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Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
1. Where am I?
[Geography]
In this activity, students locate themselves on a Geography Action! Americas Map
and explore spatial relationships among geographical features that are inside one
anothere.g., countries within continents, states within countries, cities within states.
Point out the two continents, North and South America. Ask students if they know
which one they live on. How many countries are within that continent? Which country
do they live in?
Next, point out that there are many states and one district within the United States.
> Which one is the biggest?
> Which one is very small?
Help students locate their district, province, state, or territory.
Finally, tell them that their city or town is inside their district, province, state, or territory.
Do they know its name? Put a card with a picture of your school on its location.
Then reverse the process, showing how their town or city is inside a state, which is
inside the United States, which is inside North America.
2. Who else lives in the Americas?
[Reading, Geography]
This activity celebrates the rich cultural and biological diversity of the Americas.
Read a ction or nonction book that takes place somewhere in the Americas and
features a child, an animal, or a habitat. When you nish, display the book or a copy of
the book cover next to the map and string a piece of yarn from the book to the country
or state where it is set.
During the weeks before Geography Awareness Week, read several books that take
place in a variety of places in the Americas and create a display with the map. You can
read a new book every day of Geography Awareness Week and beyond, showing the
diversity of cultures, habitats, and animal life within the Americas.
1. North, South, East, West
[Earth Science, Geography]
Students learn how to navigate a map grid and explore the relationship between
latitude and climate.
Point out the longitude lines (meridians) and latitude lines (parallels), and show how
they form a grid. Explain that both kinds of lines measure the angular distance from a
starting point. The longitudinal lines measure degrees east and west of the Prime (or
Zero) Meridian. The latitudinal lines measure degrees north and south of the Equator.
Have students nd the latitude and longitude lines that are close to their town or city.
Activities for the Geography
Action! Americas Map
K-2
3-5
Largest Lake
Lake Superior,
Canada and
United States
8
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Then have students research the average annual temperatures for 30 large cities in
the Americas. Have students write the city names and temperatures on small cards,
nd the cities on the map, and tape the cards to the map.
> Which are the hottest cities? Where are they located?
> Which are the coldest cities? Where are they located?
Students can use this information to create bar and line graphs.
Note the locations with respect to the Equator and the poles. Places near the Equator
get the most intense sunshine and are warm year-round. Toward the poles, the suns
rays are more spread, so climates are cooler.
30 Large Cities of the
Americas
> Asuncin, Paraguay
> Atlanta, USA
> Bogot, Colombia
> Buenos Aires, Argentina
> Caracas, Venezuela
> Chicago, USA
> Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
> Dallas-Fort Worth, USA
> Edmonton, Canada
> Fortaleza, Brazil
> Guadalajara, Mexico
> Havana, Cuba
> La Paz, Bolivia
> Lima, Peru
> Los Angeles, USA
> Managua, Nicaragua
> Manaus, Brazil
> Medelln, Colombia
> Mexico City, Mexico
> Miami, USA
> New York, USA
> Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
> San Francisco-Oakland, USA
> San Jose, Costa Rica
> San Juan, Puerto Rico
> Santiago, Chile
> Santo Domingo, Santiago
> So Paolo, Brazil
> Toronto, Canada
> Vancouver, Canada
*Source: www.worldatlas.com,
www.citypopulations.de, http://esa.
un.org/unup/index.asp?panel=2
*Cities listed have populations of
1 million or more
Our State of the Union
[Geography, Art]
Use a Geography Action! Map to create a
large outline map of your state or district on
disposable tablecloths or butcher paper. Have
students work in groups to research different
aspects of your state or districts history. Then
put the map on the oor or a table so that
students can work on it. Have each group add
their information to the map. You might want
to have students create several mapsone
a general reference map, and others on
particular themes.
Possible political features to research:
> Capital city
> Major cities
> City or quadrant where your school
is located
> County or ward in which your school
is located
Physical features to research:
> Rivers
> Lakes
> Mountains
> Plains
> Plateaus
> Parks
> Endangered species
Cultural features to research:
> Highways
> Railroads
> Canals
> Crops
> Historical sites
> Tourist attractions
If theres time, have students research the
names of famous places or landmarks.
> Where did the names come from?
> How does this reect your state or
districts history?
Population: Going Up
Have students use the United States Population
handout, located on the enclosed Geography
Action! Toolkit CD, to compare population growth
in their state and others over the past 200+
years. Students can create symbols representing
population and populate the United States
Outline Map, also found on the Toolkit CD, in
order to compare population distributions across
the Americas throughout the 200+ years.
To do their own research, students may review
these population resources:
> Historical Census Browser: http://sher.lib.
virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/
> U.S. National Archives: http://www.archives.
gov/federal-register/electoral-college/
calculator.html
> U.S. Census: www.census.gov
Create graphs showing changes in population.
9
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
2. Where Does that Come From?
[Geography]
Have students use the Food and Forests map to nd out where food
crops are grown.
Have students create symbols for each crop found in the Food and
Forests map using construction paper or drawing paper colored by
crayons or markers. Tape the symbols onto the Geography Action!
Map, showing where different crops are grown. Create a legend on the
Projected or Tile Map that explains the symbols. Leading questions for
discussion include:
> Do they see the same crop (e.g., potatoes) growing in different countries?
> Are there any similarities in land cover where the same crops are grown?
This map activity can be easily extended to illustrate energy and mineral resources
and use, import and export patterns in the Americas, and renewable versus non-
renewable resources. Discuss with your students other potential topics to cover with
this mapping activity.
Major Crops of the Americas / Food and Forests
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Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Earthquakes and Volcanoes of the Americas
Have students locate:
>Californias San Andreas Fault, where two
platesthe North American and Pacic Plates
are sliding past each other, producing frequent
earthquakes;
>the Aleutian Islands, where one plate
is sinking beneath another, producing
a chain of volcanic islands;
>the Andes Mountains of
South America, where
similar movement of
one plate sinking below
the other causes the
uplifting creation of
tall mountains.
11
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
1. Plates at Work
[Science/Geology]
Explain that all of the continents and islands students see on the Geography Action!
Map are riding on top of huge, rocky plates that are in constant motion. These plates
collide, separate, grind past each other, and sink below one another in a process
known as plate tectonics.
Have students use yarn to outline the major tectonic plates on the Geography Action!
Map of the Americas, using the map entitled Tectonic Plates of the Americas.
Discuss the relationship between the plates and the continents.
> What plates do North America and South America ride on?
> What plates do they adjoin?
Then use the map entitled Earthquakes and Volcanoes of the Americas to plot
the location of earthquakes and volcanoes. Use different symbols and colors for
earthquakes and volcanoes.
What do students notice about the relationship between the tectonic plates,
earthquakes, and volcanoes? When Earths tectonic plates collide, separate, grind
past each other, or sink below one another, they produce earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions. Thats why most volcanoes and earthquakes are located along plate
boundaries. In the Americas, most of these boundaries occur along the west coasts
of North and South America.
2. Where are all the people?
[Geography]
In this activity, students compare several maps to explore relationships among high
and low population density, transportation corridors, climate, and land cover.
First, have students produce a thematic map on the population density of the United
States using the information provided in the sidebar. Create a symbol for population
density (e.g., one gure = one million people), and tape the symbols onto the Tile Map
based on the population of different states.
Where is the population of the United States most and least dense? People prefer to
live in places that are most convenient and hospitable. These places are usually close
to the coast or to rivers and other transportation corridors. In the United States, over
half the population lives within 50 miles of the coast.
Have students compare their population density map with the map entitled Food and
Forests on page nine of this handbook. Notice how the population density is lower in
areas with forests, deserts, and mountains.
6-8
Population Estimates for the
U.S. and Puerto Rico (2007)
State Population
Alabama 4,627,851
Alaska 683,478
Arizona 6,338,755
Arkansas 2,834,797
California 36,553,215
Colorado 4,861,515
Connecticut 3,502,309
Delaware 864,764
District of Colombia 588,292
Florida 18,251,243
Georgia 9,544,750
Hawaii 1,283,388
Idaho 1,499,402
Illinois 12,852,548
Indiana 6,345,289
Iowa 2,988,046
Kansas 2,775,997
Kentucky 4,241,474
Louisiana 4,293,204
Maine 1,317,207
Maryland 5,618,344
Massachusetts 6,449,755
Michigan 10,071,822
Minnesota 5,197,621
Mississippi 2,918,785
Missouri 5,878,415
Montana 957,861
Nebraska 1,774,571
Nevada 2,565,382
New Hampshire 1,315,828
New Jersey 8,685,920
New Mexico 1,969,915
New York 19,297,729
North Carolina 9,061,032
North Dakota 639,715
Ohio 11,466,917
Oklahoma 3,617,316
Oregon 3,747,455
Pennsylvania 12,432,792
Puerto Rico 3,926,831
Rhode Island 1,057,832
South Carolina 4,407,709
South Dakota 796,214
Tennessee 6,156,719
Texas 23,904,380
Utah 2,645,330
Vermont 621,254
Virginia 7,712,091
Washington 6,468,424
West Virginia 1,812,035
Wisconsin 5,601,640
Wyoming 522,830
source: http://www.census.gov/popest/
states/NST-ann-est.html
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Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Indigenous Languages
of the Americas
The indigenous people of the United
States and Canada once spoke more
than 300 languages. About two-thirds of
these languages survive, but the number
of speakers is dwindling rapidly and
some have already disappeared. Have
students research where in the Americas
these languages are most in danger of
disappearing. Use the Enduring Voices
website: www.nationalgeographic.com/
mission/enduringvoices/index.html as a
source in this activity.
Cultures (Indigenous Languages)
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Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
1. Using Maps to Investigate Issues
[History, Civics]
Maps can illustrate patterns that are not as immediately visible to us as physical
features like mountains and rivers. These patterns can be used to analyze and decide
how to address issues faced by people living in the Americas. Use the Maps to
Investigate Issues handouts on the Geography Action! Toolkit CD (at the back of
this handbook) to explain how to draw a choropleth map, which uses light to dark
shading to show patterns. A blank Americas Map and Map of the Caribbean are
also provided on the CD so that students can create their own maps. Example Data
handouts are provided for the following issues on the Geography Action! CD.
Other issues may be examined using choropleth maps. Assign groups to do research
on the Internet and create choropleth maps related to each topic. Then, using the
information gathered, have each group develop a list of policy recommendations to
present to the appropriate head of governmentlocal, state, or nationalproposing
ways to address these issues. Are there ways countries of the Americas can work
together to help each other?
Topic Suggestions:
> Hunger: In which countries do people not have enough food to eat? In which
countries do people have more food than they need?
> Literacy: What percentage of the population is able to read and write in different
countries of the Americas? How much does each country spend on education per
person each year?
> Deforestation: Where in the Americas do large forests still exist? At what rate is
each forest being cut down? Why? What will the impact be?
> Glacial ice: Which parts of the Americas are still covered with large areas of ice?
What impact is global warming having on this ice cover? What impact is it having
on the animals and people who live there?
> Carbon Footprint: How do countries in the Americas compare when it comes to
industrial output of energy of the number of cars per 1,000 people?
> Sea-level ooding: Which areas of the Americas are most vulnerable to sea-level
ooding as a result of global warming? How many people would it affect? What can
be done to reduce this threat?
9-12
Largest icecap
Greenland
Example Issues Faced in the Americas
Infant Mortality Rate What ratio of infants die before their rst birthday in
different countries of the Americas?
Physicians Per 100,000 Population What is the ratio of people to health care
workers by country?
Calorie Supply per Capita How many calories of food energy do people consume
per capita in different countries of the Americas?
Secondary School Enrollment
(Female Students)
What percentage of young girls attends
secondary schools by country?
CO
2
Emissions per Capita What is the difference in emissions between
countries of the Americas?
Suggested Resources for data
related to these issues:
> www.nationalgeographic.com/
earthpulse/
> http://earthtrends.wri.org/
> http://earthtrends.wri.org/
datatables/index.php?theme=3
> http://www.prb.org/datander.
aspx
> http://www.worldmapper.org/
14
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
2. Energy
[Environmental science, math]
Which countries of the Americas use the most energyin general and per capita?
Which use the least? Use the map entitled Energy and Minerals to explore these
questions. Make a list of the countries that are the top 10 energy consumers.
Then have students research the amount of CO
2
emitted annually by each of the top 10
energy users. Be sure to use both total and per capita data. Come up with a symbol for
illustrating their ndings on the map, and place symbols on the Geography Action! Map.
Identify the countries with the 10 highest carbon emission scores, and have students
use the data to create a bar chart in Excel, with two bars for each country. The rst bar
represents the countrys carbon emissions. The second represents its population.
> Which country uses the most energy?
> Which country produces the most carbon emissions?
> What do students notice when they compare each countrys population size
with its carbon emissions?
Energy and Minerals
15
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
1. Exploring Cardinal Directions
Accurately label each wall of the classroom north, south, east, or west. Have students
describe the location of objects in the classroom in terms of their direction. For
example:
> What wall is the teachers desk near?
> Whats close to the south wall?
> What would I bump into if I walked toward the west wall?
Explain that the directions extend beyond the four walls of the classroom. Walk
students around to different places in the schoolsuch as the cafeteria, playground,
or bathroom. At each place, have them turn to show what direction that place is from
the classroomnorth, south, east, or west.
Then go outside with a compass and have your students practice using it to locate
north, south, east, and west.
Finally, use a globeand then a mapto apply what students have learned about the
cardinal directions. Ask questions such as:
> What countries make up the continent of North America (hint: National Geographic
includes Central America as part of North America!)?
> Which country is next to the northern part of the United States?
> Which country is immediately south of the United States?
Talk about temperatures, explaining that the Earth is cold at both endsthe North
Pole and South Poleand hot in the middle (the Equator). Thats because the Equator
gets more sunshine year-round than the poles do. Ask:
> Which of the two big continents is closer to the North Pole?
> Which big continent is closer to the South Pole?
Ask students to think about differences in temperature depending on where they live.
For example, on the rst day of winter in Nova Scotia, students might wear boots,
coats, hats, and mittens, whereas students in Puerto Rico could wear shorts and
short-sleeved shirts on the exact same day! Then have a discussion starting with the
leading question of why the childrens clothes would be so different on the same day?
2. Simon Says
In this activity, students use their bodies to reinforce the concept of cardinal
directions. As you do these activities, make sure that students do not equate north
with up or with the tops of their heads, or south with down or with their feet.
Show students a globe, pointing out the cardinal directions, the poles, and the Equator.
Have them stand up in the classroom, imagining that their bodies represent a globe.
Then play an adaptation of the game Simon Says.
Geography Action!
Event Activities
K-2
16
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Animal Location Status
American
Crocodile
Florida, Caribbean, Cen-
tral America, Northern
South America
Endangered
Armadillo Southern North America,
Central America, South
America
Threatened
Bald Eagle United States, Canada,
and Mexico
Threatened
Beluga Whale Arctic Ocean Threatened
Blue Whale Pacic Ocean and
Atlantic Ocean
Endangered
California
Condor
Southwestern United
States
Endangered
Caribou Canada Endangered
Chinchilla South America Endangered
Galpagos
Tortoise
Galpagos Islands Endangered
Giant Anteater Central America, North-
ern South America
Threatened
Giant River
Otter
South America Endangered
Grizzly Bear Northwestern North
America
Threatened
Harp Seal Arctic Ocean/Northern
Atlantic Ocean near
Greenland
Threatened
Jaguar Central America,
Northern
South America
Endangered
Macaw South America Endangered
Manatee Coastal water around
Florida, Caribbean,
Central America and
Northern South America
Endangered
Marine Iguana Galpagos Islands Threatened
Mexican Axolotl Mexico Endangered
Ocelot Mexico, Central America,
and Northern South
America
Endangered
Ozark Big-
Eared Bat
Southern central United
States
Endangered
Polar Bear Alaska, Northwestern
Canada
Threatened
Rocky Mountain
Bighorn Sheep
Rocky Mountains Endangered
Spectacled
Bear
Northwestern South
America
Threatened
Three-toed
Sloth
Northern South America Endangered
Walrus Arctic Ocean Endangered
Simon Says:
> Put your hand on your Equator. (waist)
> Point to the North Pole. (head)
> Shake your South Pole. (feet)
> Use your arms as latitude lines. (horizontal)
> Use your arms as longitude lines. (vertical)
> Touch your neighbor directly west.
> Clap your hands to the south.
1. Endangered and Threatened Animals
Have students read about the endangered and threatened
animals listed on this page and locate where in the Americas
these animals live. Explain that the animals included on the
list are only a few of the animals of the Americas that are in
danger of becoming extinct and discuss what that means.
Then have students come up with a symbol for their animal
using magazine clippings or hand drawings, and place their
symbols on the projector or tile map.
Students can then use their research to create a poster or
write a persuasive essay about why people should try to
save these animals. Questions students might think about
include:
> Where does this animal live?
> Why is it endangered?
> What can be done to save it?
> Why should people care about this animal?
2. Major Languages of the Americas
Today
Which languages are the most widely spoken in the
Americas? Create an outline map of the Americas using
one of the Geography Action! Map templates. Explore
language patterns in the Americas using the Major
Languages handout provided on the Geography Action!
Toolkit CD.
Endangered and Threatened
Animals of the Americas
3-5
*Source: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals
http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/
17
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Have students place language symbols onto the Geography Action! Map. Example
symbols are provided, however students may create their own symbols. Discuss the
relationship between the distribution of modern languages and the colonial history of
the Americas.
To create connections within a multi-ethnic area, students may also research the
many languages spoken within their communities and discuss why there are so many.
Create a display showing how hello! is said in each language.
1. A Rivers Journey
Rivers were among the rst highways of the Americas. Many large cities grew up
alongside rivers and other waterways, which provided convenient transportation
before railroads and roads were built. Use a map like the one below that illustrates
the locations of major cities near rivers.
Using the list on this page, assign each
student a major river of the Americas to
research and write a storyfrom the point
of view of the riverabout its journey from
its source to where it empties into the
sea. Some questions students might think
about:
> Where does the river start?
Where does it end?
> How many miles does the river cover?
> What does it see along the wayplants,
animals, people, and cities?
> What obstacles does it encounter
e.g., dams, canyons, or waterfalls?
> Did any historical or other signicant
events take place along the river?
Dallas
San Diego
Los Angeles
New York
H
o
u
ston
Monterrey
Philadelphia
Detroit
Chicago
Cleveland
Santo
D
o
m
Havana
Montral
W
ashington
T
o
r
o
n
t
o
Virginia Beach
Seattle
Victoria
Tulsa
Jacksonville
n Francisco
Sacramento
Chihuahua
Boston
Miami
Vancouver
Calgary
Portland
S
a
n
A
n
tonio
Ciudad
Jurez
New
Orleans
Charlotte
Denver
Omaha
Oklahoma
City
Phoenix
Austin
Atlanta
Winnipeg
Thunder
Bay
Tampa
Memphis
Fresno
Tijuana
Ottawa
St. Paul
Nashville
B
irm
ingham
Fort
Worth
Minneapolis
St.
L
o
u
is
Wichita
Indianapolis
E
l
P
aso
San Luis Potos
Edmonton
Las Vegas
Schefferville
Sept-les
Concord
Providence
Hartford
Regina
Salt
Lake
City
Qubec
Chicoutimi
F
re
deric
Bangor
Saskatoon
Eugene
Spokane
Butte
Bismarck
Billings
Sioux Falls
Fargo
Reno
Charleston
Jackson
Santa Fe
Nassau
Boise
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H u d s o n
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(MEXI CO)
Major Rivers and
Cities of the US
6-8
A Selection of Rivers
in the Americas
> Arkansas
> Colorado
> Columbia
> Connecticut
> Gila
> Hudson
> James
> MacKenzie
> Mississippi
> Missouri
> Ohio
> Orinoco
> Ottawa
> Paraguay
> Potomac
> Rio Grande
> Snake
> St. Lawrence
> Tennessee
> Uruguay
> Yellowstone
> Yukon
Language Symbols
Indo-European Languages
E = English
S = Spanish
F = French
D = Dutch
P = Portuguese
G = German
Da = Danish
CH = Caribbean Hindustani
I = Italian
PB = Portunol/Brazilero
Indigenous Languages
EA = Eskimo/Aleut
MD = Mayan Dialects
AI = Amerindian Languages
Q = Quechua
A = Aymara
Gu = Guarani
Gr = Greenlandic
Languages Derived
from a Mix of Others
C = Creole
PA = Patois
Inuvik
Whitehorse
Fairbanks Ancho
ra
g
e
A L A S K A
NORTHWE
YUKON
Kodiak I.
Mt. McKinley
Seward
Peninsula
B
r
o
o
k
s
R
a
n
g
e
Aleutian Range
M
a
c
k
e
n
z
ie
M
ts
(Denali)
Yu
k
o
n
M
a
c
k
e
n
z
ie
Great
Bear
Lake
B
ering
Str.
Beauf ort
Sea
Chukchi
Sea
Gulf of
Alaska
B e r i n g
S e a
(U. S. )
20,320 ft
6,194 m
and continuation of
the Bering Sea, see
inset map page70.
18
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
2. Explorers of the Americas
Early explorers of the Americas were motivated by a variety of goalsincluding
curiosity, the desire for valuable trade routes, a mission to convert people to a certain
religion, hunger for land or for precious goods such as gold and spices, and the
thirst for scientic knowledge. Although they greatly expanded knowledge about the
Americas, these early explorers sometimes acted cruelly toward indigenous peoples
and harmed the cultures they encountered.
Have students do research on the explorers listed in the sidebar, create maps showing
their routes, and write journals about their explorers experiences. Some questions
students might consider are:
> Where did the explorers journeys start?
> Why did they come to the Americas? What were they seeking?
> How did they travel?
> What did they nd? How was it different from today?
> Who did they meet along the way?
> What challenges did they encounter?
> How did their experience change our understanding of the Americas?
> What impact did they have on the people and future of the Americas?
A Selection of Explorers of the Americas
(North America)
> Vitus Bering
> John Cabot
> Jacques Cartier
> Hernando Cortes
> Samuel de Champlain
> Robert Cavelier de la Salle
> Panlo de Narvaez
and Alvar Nunez Cabeza
de Vaca
> Hernando de Soto
> Eric the Red
> Leif Ericson
> John Franklin
> Charles Fremont
> Martin Frobisher
> Henry Hudson
> Meriwether Lewis and
William Clark
> Father Jacques Marquette
and Luis Jolliet
> Nils Nordenskjold
> Zebulon Pike
> Sacajawea
> David Thompson
(South America)
> Charles Darwin
> Charles Marie de
la Condamine
> Ferdinand Magellan
> Francisco Pizarro
> Richard Spruce
> Alexander von Humboldt
> Alfred Wallace and
Henry Bates
(North and South America)
> Christopher Columbus
> James Cook
> Francis Drake
Longest Mountain Range
Andes, South America
19
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
1. What Am I?
In this guessing game, a card is taped to each students forehead or back. Written on
it is the name of a city, state, country, or major physical feature in the Americas. The
player cannot see the name, but the rest of the class or group can. The player
must guess what the place is by asking questions with a yes or no answer. For
example:
> Am I in South America? [yes]
> Am I on the west coast? [yes]
> Am I a river? [no]
> Am I a country? [yes]
> Am I long and skinny? [yes]
Correct answer: Chile.
Other students should consult a map rst to pinpoint the location of the place; then,
have the map available to answer the players questions correctly. Provide a time
limite.g., three minutes. After that, the class helps the student by giving hints, until
the student either guesses or gives up.
2. Be a Modern Explorer
Have students pick a place anywhere in the Americas that they would like to explore,
and then plan a trip from their home to that place. Have them use maps and other
resources to research their destinations as well as the places they will pass through
to get there. Some questions they might think about are:
> Why do I want to go to this place?
> How will I get there? How long will it take?
> What will I need to bring?
> What will I see along the wayplants, people, physical features?
> What difculties might I encounter?
> What will I see and do once I get there?
> What photos will I take?
> What souvenirs will I collect?
Have students plot their journey on a map, and create an illustrated journal of their
trip to share with other members of their class or community.
9-12
Examples of Place
Names
> North America
> South America
> Greenland
> Canada
> Brazil
> Chile
> Cuba
> Puerto Rico
> Alaska
> California
> New York City
> Washington, D.C.
> Rio de Janeiro
> Mexico City
> Ottawa
> Mississippi River
> Yukon River
> St. Lawrence River
> Lake Michigan
> Andes Mountains
> Rocky Mountains
> Denali
> Grand Canyon
> Amazon Rain Forest
> Panama Canal
> Rio Grande
> Caribbean Sea
> Atacama Desert
> Hudson Bay
> Lake Titicaca
> Sierra Madre Occidental
or Oriental
> Buenos Aires
> Caracas
> Bogot
20
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
To further celebrate the Americas and Geography
Awareness Week, classes in your school or groups in your
community can research a variety of topics and themes to
see how they are expressed in different ways across the
Americas. Have the classes and other groups use their
ndings to prepare posters, books, and displays for your
Mapping the Americas event. Its a great way to get the
whole community involvedand more fun for everyone.
Here are just a few examples of possible projects. You and
your Geography Action! Planning Team may have many
more ideas.
> Airlines
> Animals
> Clothing
> Famous authors/books
> Famous buildings
> Flags
> Games
> Hats
> Historic gures
> Money
> Musical instruments
> Plants
> Recipes
> Sports
> Stamps
Diversity Across The Americas:
GROUP PROJECTS
Airlines
Stamps
Famous buildings
Animals
21
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas events
are low-cost, easy to implement, and adaptable to
your schools resources and needs. This kit includes
step-by-step instructions for planning the event,
suggestions for promoting it successfully in and
beyond school, and free materials from the National
Geographic Society.
Here are six steps to kick off Geography Action! Mapping the Americas in your school.
Visit the National Geographic Society online for more information:
www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction.
1. Establish a Planning Team: Gain support for the event from your principal and
other key leaders at your school. Form a team with school administrators, other
teachers, parent volunteers, and state Geographic Alliance members. Clearly
dene and divide roles and responsibilities among a few coordinators, and meet
regularly for event planning.
> Event Leader: Oversees the events activities and timeline; organizes
communication among coordinators; manages all aspects of event planning.
> Activities and Prizes Coordinator: Manages event activities, including food,
games, and prize planning; gathers necessary supplies; coordinates logistics
for the event.
> Volunteer Coordinator: Recruits volunteers and helps ensure the event runs
smoothly; creates a job list with volunteer names next to each task (e.g., greet
and register guests, provide support for activity areas, take event photos, hand
out refreshments).
> Promotions Coordinator: Places Geography Action! posters in schools and
throughout communities; coordinates invitations; connects with event partners
and sponsors; contacts local and national TV, radio stations, and newspapers.
2. Schedule Your Event: Allow two months to plan the event. Consult with school
administrators and staff when selecting a time and place for your event.
> Where? A large, open space such as a courtyard, playground, cafeteria,
or gymnasium will be needed to accommodate the many activities at your
celebration.
> When? Determine a date and time on the weekend or after school. Consult the
school calendar and nd a date and time that work for teachers, administrators,
and parents.
Geography Awareness
Week Planning and
Execution How-tos
Oldest Writing System
The Olmecs, the rst complex
civilization to live in Mexico,
were the rst in the Americas
to develop a writing system
22
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
3. Plan Your Event: Meet with your planning team, and select activities from
this Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit. Prizes can be offered
for a competition funded by the school or a local sponsor, or you can plan
this event simply as an international celebration.
> Prepare your school for Geography Action! Mapping the Americas by
considering the following:
Team up with your art department to hold a student poster or bumper
sticker contest to promote geographic literacy and Mapping the
Americas. A sponsor can underwrite the cost of printing the winning
bumper sticker or poster for families to proudly display.
Assign a school hallway for a maps display or cultural showcase with
art and student projects about the Americas.
Invite a public ofcial to sign a proclamation declaring November
16-22, 2008, as Geography Awareness Week (sample proclamation
included on the Geography Action! Toolkit CD).
> Involve your community! Have your Activities and Prizes Planner work
with the Promotions Planner to partner with local libraries, businesses,
and community organizations. Think creatively when talking with potential
event partners.
Ask local restaurants serving food from different countries found in
the Americas to provide refreshments.
Ask local libraries to create and promote a book corner and story time
with books about maps and the Americas.
Ask grocery stores to display produce and food staples found in
countries of the Americas at your event.
Ask local businesses to sponsor your event by providing prizes,
country artifacts, or cultural games and activity suggestions.
Add a fundraising aspect to your event by raising money to benet
your school or a local or national non-prot organization that focuses
on issues in the Americas.
> The National Geographic Society supports the Conservation
Trust http://www.nationalgeographic.com/conservation that
does work in the Americas.
The following national organizations are not afliated with the National
Geographic Society, but focus on issues related to the Americas.
> UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/)
> The United Nations Foundation (http://www.unfoundation.org/)
> CARE (http://www.care.org/)
> World Vision (http://www.worldvision.org/)
> Oxfam International (http://www.oxfam.org)
> Save the Children (http://www.savethechildren.org/)
Largest Coral Reef
Belize Barrier Reef, Belize
23
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
4. Promote Your Event: Spread the word! Build excitement with
students, parents, and community members!
> Distribute the invitation found on the Toolkit CD to students,
parents, local community members, and media.
> Put up Geography Action! posters and signs throughout your school,
local libraries, businesses, and community organizations (hospitals,
after-school care, etc.).
> Feature Geography Action! Mapping the Americas in your schools
newsletter.
> Distribute the press release found on the toolkit CD to local
newspapers, television, and radio stations.
> Promote the fundraising aspect of your event. Companies have an easier time
serving as sponsors if they know proceeds are going to a charity or school
organization like the PTA. Also, media will be interested in both the non-
prot organization beneting from the event and the school displaying such a
commitment to the global community.
5. Wrap-Up Logistics before the big event: Two weeks before the event, arrange for
at least two wrap-up meetings with your planning team.
> Activities and Prizes: Have all the activities been conrmed, supplies gathered,
and ample space mapped out for each activity?
> Volunteers: Have enough volunteers joined the event team and accepted
positions of responsibility? Are all the activities covered?
> Promotion: Are students, parents, and community members excited about
the event? Have posters and maps been placed strategically throughout the
school and local community? During the week before and the day before your
event, make reminder calls to the media, send reminder notes to teachers and
parents, and make school-wide announcements to students.
> Photos: Assign one or more still and video photographers to the event. Make
multiple copies of the Personal Release Form found on the Toolkit CD and have
families sign them at the registration table. When you send event photos to the
National Geographic, youll already have permission for publication.
6. Reporting Back:
> Tell Us About Your Event: National Geographic Society would love to know how
your event turned out! Please ll out the event evaluation included on the
Toolkit CD, and send us your favorite photos. You may nd your experiences
featured in the next National Geographic Education Newsletter or in next years
Geography Action! Kit!
24
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Reaching the public through the media is the most
effective way to let people in your community know
about your Geography Action! Mapping the Americas
Event during Geography Awareness Week. You want
media announcements before the event and stories
about the event after it has happened.
1. Reaching the media
> Partner with Your Local Newspapers in Education Coordinator.
Geography Action! has a long-standing partnership with Newspapers in
Education (NIE), a national program encouraging connections between schools
and newspapers. Contact your local newspapers to see if they have an NIE
Coordinator and if they would like to collaborate on the event. Are they able to
help get a news story in their paper?
> Check with your schools administrative/district ofce to see if they will handle the
media for your event.
Will they generate press materials? Contact the reporters? Set up interviews
for you and your students? Find out what they need from you to help generate
media coverage.
> If you are generating the publicity yourself, here are some easy steps to take:
Create a media list of the education and local interest/metro reporters and
community calendar editors in your area, including reporters for daily and weekly
newspapers, magazines, radio stations, television stations, and websites. The
school administrative ofce may have a media list they will give you.
> Include mailing addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and fax numbers.
Call the news desks at each ofce to conrm this information.
2. Preparing the press materials and spokespeople:
> Customize the Geography Action! press release template enclosed in this kit with
information about your school and event.
> If you need additional assistance, contact Sarah Clark or Ann Barrett in the
National Geographic Communications ofce ([email protected], [email protected])
> Identify individuals you will use to speak with the media who attend the event:
Alliance members, teachers, student, school administrators, etc.
Give them a copy of all press materials and briey outline the key points/
messages youd like them to include in any interviews.
> Be sure and check with your schools administrative ofce to see if you need parental
permission for your students to be interviewed or photographed by the media.
Media Outreach and How-tos
25
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
3. Send Out Your Customized Press Release
> A week or 10 days before your event, send your customized version of the press
release to the reporters on your media list via email, rst-class mail, or fax.
> A few days before the event, call the reporters to see if they are interested in
covering the event and if they need any other information.
> Sample conversation: My name is xxxx, from xxx school. Im calling about the
Geography Awareness map event at our school on xxx date. Its a very visual event
with a giant map the kids have created including a lot of local color. We hope youre
able to cover it.
> Keep the call short and to the point, and have all your facts at hand.
> Send out your press release (fax and/or email) immediately after the event has
concluded to media who did not attend.
4. Working With Media On Event Day
> Set up a media check-in table (with a media sign-in sheet), in a prominent location,
with a sign identifying it as Media.
> On event day, at least one teacher /volunteer should dedicate time to working
with the press. They should be at the check-in table to greet reporters, answer
questions and help facilitate interviews. Have copies of the customized press
release and the events program available for reporters.
> Television reporters with lm crews will need electrical outlets for their equipment,
so have events in locations where these are easily accessible. Press will need the
best view of student displays, games, and presentations. Make sure to have seats
designated as Reserved for Press where appropriate, with easily visible signs.
> Following the event, send copies of news stories to National Geographic:
Geography Action!
National Geographic Education and Childrens Programs
1145 17
th
Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
> During the planning stages, be sure and check with your schools administrative
ofce to see if you need parental permission for your students to be interviewed
or photographed by the media.
Longest-lived Animal
The Galpagos Islands,
Ecuador, host the old-
est living animal in the
Americasthe Galpagos
tortoise that can live for
more than 150 years!
26
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
The maps and activities in this handbook are designed to stimulate class, school,
and community exploration of the Americasincluding North and South America,
Greenland, and the West Indies. Participants read different kinds of maps, gather
information, create their own maps, analyze the results, and form conclusions.
What do maps tell us?
Every map tells a different story. Maps are representations in miniature of
much larger places. They shrink large areas such as continents onto a sheet
of paper. Symbols represent features such as rivers, roads, and cities, or
topics such as population and precipitation. Maps are made for a variety of
purposes, and the features on each map support its particular purpose. No
single map can show everything.
Because Earth maps project a spherical body onto a at surface, some
distortion is inevitable. Mapmakers have created various projections
to minimize the distortion. Equal area projections maintain accurate
relative sizes of land areas throughout the map. The commonly used
Mercator projection is not an equal area projection. It shows polar
regions much larger than they actually are. It excels, however, at
showing direction.
What are the different kinds of maps?
Some maps locate physical features that are clearly visible on the landscapefor
example, rivers and mountains. Some highlight other kinds of information that are not
so visiblefor example, CO
2
emissions or population density. Maps can record historic
events, show change over time, and compare the distribution of resources.
Most maps fall into two general categories:
> A reference map uses symbols to represent features of physical
and human-made environmentsfor example, rivers, lakes,
mountains, roads, and cities. Road maps and maps that show
political boundaries are examples of reference maps.
> A thematic map focuses on one particular topic in order to show
spatial distributions or patternsfor example, amount of rainfall
or environmental hotspots. Thematic maps use shading, dots,
and different-sized symbols to represent differences in quantity
for example, number of people. They use shapes or colors to
represent differences in typefor example, kind of climate.
Mapping Foundations
A
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Straits of Florida
Gul f of
Al as ka
B e r i n g
S e a
Beauf ort
Sea
L a b r a d o r
S e a
G u l f o f
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Foxe
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SVERDRUP
ISLANDS
PARRY ISLANDS
ELIZABETH
IS.
Somerset I.
Mackenzie King I.
Borden Island
Prince of
Wales I.
King William I.
Prince Patrick I.
Prince Charles I.
Melville
Peninsula
Banks
Island
Victoria
Island
Melville
Island Devon I.
Axel Heiberg I.
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irgin
Islands
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ts.
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Sierra Madre del Sur
G R E A T E R A N T I L L E S
Point Barrow
Kenai
Peninsula
Kodiak I.
Hayes
Peninsula
Cape Farewell
Anticosti
Island
Cape Breton Island
Belcher
Islands
Fraser
Plateau
Cape Mendocino
Channel
Islands
Col orado
Pl at eau
Ozark Plateau
Hispaniola
Revillagigedo Islands
Cape
San Lucas
Avalon
Peninsula
Bermuda
Islands
Nova
Scotia
Olympic
Peninsula
Yucatn
Peninsula
Southampton
Island
Seward
Peninsula
Sierra
Long Island
Cape Cod
Grand Bahama Island
Fl ori da Keys
Cozumel
Island
Martinique
Guadeloupe
Isthmus of
Tehuantepec
Trinida
Grand
Canyon
Puerto
Rico
G
asp Pen.
Cayman
Islands
Cape
Hatteras
St. Lawrence
Island
Nunivak
Island
Sonoran
Deser t
Mt. McKinley(Denali)
Gunnbjrn
Mt. Whitney
Pico de Orizaba
Mt. Logan
Death Valley
Qeqertarsuaq
DOMINICA
ST. VINCE
THE GREN
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
GRENADA
ST. LUCIA
HAITI DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
ANTIGUA & BAR
ST. KITTS & NEVIS
BA
BELIZE
JAMAICA
B
A
H
A
M
A
S
CUBA
GUATEMALA
M

X
I
C
O
C A N A D A
U N I T E D S T A T E S
the Bering Sea, see
inset map page70.
TROPIC OF CANCER
ARC
TIC
C
IRC
LE
20,320 ft
6,194 m
12,139 feet
3,700 meters
19,551 ft
5,959 m
14,494 feet
4,418 meters
-282 ft -86 m
18,855 ft
5,747 m
Highest point in
North America
Lowest point in
North America
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
World Map
Mercator projection
Eckert Equal-Area
North America Reference Map
Maps are important tools that help us explore and
expand our understanding of the world.
Environmental
Hotspots
Thematic Map
How do you read a map?
The title communicates the main purpose or topic
of a map. It may specify:
whatthe main topic or combination of topics
wherewhat part of the world the map shows
whenwhat time period the map covers
Examples of map titles are Major Cities and
Rivers of South America in 2000. Check when a
map was created to understand time limitations
for data on the map.
The legend or key explains the meaning of map
symbols. On a reference map, the legend reveals
what different symbols represente.g., capital
cities, rivers, and roads. On a thematic map,
the legend helps readers compare quantities or
different types of information.
Direction is usually indicated by a compass rose
that points to the four cardinal directions: north
(N), south (S), east (E), and west (W). Be sure to
emphasize to students that these are directions
based on Earths poles. North and south are not
simply up and down; west and east are not
left and right. This misunderstanding can
cause great confusion.
A grid system makes it possible to describe the
location of places and talk about time at different
locations.
> Latitudinal lines (or parallels) run horizontally
and are measured in degrees, with the Equator
as zero degrees latitude. They measure the angular distance north and south
of the Equator.
> Longitude lines (or meridians) run vertically and are measured in degrees, with the
Prime Meridian as zero degrees longitude. They measure the angular distance east
and west of the Prime Meridian. Longitude lines that are 15 degrees apart are one
hour apart in time.
In addition, some maps provide an alphanumeric grid. For example, road or atlas
maps often show numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) running horizontally along one edge, and
letters (A, B, C, etc.) running vertically along another edge.
A scale enables readers to relate distances on the map to actual distances on
the Earth.
Both thematic and reference maps often cite the data sources for their topics and
the mapmakers who created the representation.
Valds Peninsula
Taitao
Peninsula
Malpelo I.
Galpagos
Islands
San Flix I.
San Ambrosio I.
Wellington I.
Chilo
Island
Maraj
Island
A
l t i p
l a
n
o
Juan Fernndez Is.
A
N
D
E
S
A M A Z O N
B A S I N
L
L
A
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O
S
P
A
M
P
A
S
P
A
T
A
G
O
N
I
A
A
N
D
E
S
FALKLAND ISLANDS
(ISLAS MALVINAS)
G U I A N A H I G H L A N D S
G
r
a
n
C
h
a
c
o
B R A Z I L I A N
H I G H L A N D S
S
e l v a
s
Cerro
Aconcagua
P
a
n
t
a
n
a
l
A
t
a
c
a
m
a
D
e
s
e
r
t
V E N E Z U E L A
C O L O M B I A
SURINAME
C
H
I
L
E
A
R
G
E
N
T
I
N
A
P
E
R
U
E C U A D O R
P
A
R
A
G
U
A
Y
B R A Z I L
B O L I V I A
URUGUAY
GUYANA
FRENCH
GUIANA
U
ru
g
u
a
y
P
a
ra
g
u
a
y
P
u
rus
Negro
M
adeira
Amazon
T
a
p
a
js
Orinoco
Amazon
T
o
c
a
n
tin
s
Teles Pires
U
ca
ya
li
P
a
ra
n

X
in
g
u
Negro
Salar de Uyuni
So Fra
ncisco
EQUATOR
TROPIC OF CAPRICORN
Maran
Gulf of
San Jorge
River Plate
Lake
Maracaibo
Iguaz
Falls
Lake
Titicaca
Laguna del Carbn
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
O
C
E
A
N
P
A
C
I
F
I
C
O
C
E
A
N
C A R I B B E A N S E A
NORTH
AMERICA
22,834 ft
6,960 m
-344 ft -105 m
(FRANCE)
Highest point in
South America
Lowest point in
South America
Total drop
3,212 ft 979 m
Angel Falls
900 kilometers
600 miles 0
0
Azimuthal Equidistant Projection
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
South America
GRID SYSTEM
TITLE
SCALE
DIRECTION
SOURCES
The Continent: South America, National Geographic
World Atlas for Young Explorers, 3
rd
Edition,
Washington DC: National Geographic, 2007. p. 78.
27
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
City / Town
Country capital
State / Provincial capital
Small country
Ruin
Point of Interest
Mountain peak with elevation
above sea level
Low point with elevation
below sea level
Defined boundary
Undefined boundary
Claimed boundary
River
791 ft
241 m
-282 ft.
-86 m
LEGEND
28
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Get Ready!
You can prepare your students and generate excitement
for Geography Awareness Week by creating a classroom
environment that is rich in geographic images related
to the Americasincluding photographs, travel posters,
magazines, and a mini-library of geography references and
of childrens ction and nonction books related to maps,
travel, and the Americas.
You might collect and display a variety of reference and
thematic maps of different types related to your area and
the Americase.g., waynding maps, weather maps,
tourist maps, road maps, mass transit maps, museum
and mall maps.
Make sure you have at least one globe, an atlas, and other geography reference tools.
Access to the Internet is very helpful, too.
Human Footprint
Thematic Map
28
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Highest
Lowest
Human impact
29
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
A. Booklist
Childrens Books about Maps
Ages 3-6
As the Crow Flies: A First Book of Maps, by Gail Hartman
and Harvey Stevenson (Illustrator). Publisher: Simon &
Schuster Childrens Publishing ISBN-13: 978-0689717628
Mapping North America, by Kate McGough. Publisher:
National Geographic Society ISBN-13: 9780792287414
Me on the Map, by Joan Sweeney. Publisher: Dragony
Books ISBN-13: 978-0517885574
Ages 5-9
Mapping Pennys World, by Loreen Leedy. Publisher: Henry
Holt Books for Young Readers ISBN 13: 978-0805072624
Maps, by Ari Brennan. Publisher: National Geographic
Society ISBN-13: 9781426350542
My Map Book, by Sara Fanelli. Publisher: HarperCollins
Childrens Books ISBN-13: 978-0060264550
Theres a Map in My Lap! All about Maps, by Tish Rabe and
Aristides Ruiz (Illustrator). Publisher: Random House
Childrens Books ISBN-13: 978-0375810992
Ages 9-12
How Maps Are Made, by Martyn Bramwell, Publisher:
Lerner Publishing Group ISBN-13: 978-0822529200
Map Essentials, Publisher: National Geographic School
Publishing ISBN-13: 978-0792290131
Maps (Make it Work!), by Andrew Haslam. Publisher:
Two-Can Publishing, Inc ISBN-13: 978-1854343994
Maps and Mapping, by Jinny Johnson and Suki West.
Publisher: Kingsher ISBN-13: 978-0753460627
Treasure Map (MathStart), by Stuart J. Murphy and Tricia
Tusa (Illustrator). Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN-13: 978-0064467384
World Atlas for Young Explorers, >
Publisher: National Geographic
Society
ISBN-13: 978-1-4263-0088-2
Young Adult
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the
Greatest Scientic Problem of His Time, by Dava Sobel.
Publisher: Walker & Company ISBN-13: 978-0802715296
The Maps of Tolkiens Middle-Earth (Folded Maps), by Brian
Sibley and John Howe (Illustrator), John Howe, J. R. R.
Tolkien (Based On Work by). Publisher: Houghton Mifin
Company ISBN-13: 9780618391103
The Oak Island Mystery, by Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe.
Publisher: Hounslow Press ISBN-13: 978-0888821706
You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the
Imagination, by Katharine Harmon. Publisher: Princeton
Architectural Press ISBN-13: 978-1568984308
Childrens Books About the Americas
Ages 3-6
Borreguita and the Coyote, by Verna Aardema. Publisher:
Dragony Books ISBN-13: 978-0679889366
Caribbean Dream, by Rachel Isadora. Publisher: Putnam
Juvenile ISBN-13: 978-0698119444
Childs Alaska, by Claire Rudolf Murphy. Publisher: Alaska
Northwest Books ISBN-13: 978-0882404578
Resources
30
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Ages 5-9
A Picture Book of Sacagawea, by David Adler. Publisher:
Holiday House ISBN-13: 978-0823416653
A River Ran Wild, by Lynne Cherry. Publisher: Voyager
Books ISBN-13: 978-0152163723
The Legend of the Poinsettia, by Tomie dePaola. Publisher:
Putnam Juvenile ISBN-13: 978-0698115675
This Land is Your Land (with a tribute by Pete Seeger), by
Woody Guthrie. Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
ISBN-13: 978-0316392150
Ages 9-12
Canada, by Brian Williams. Publisher: National Geographic
Society ISBN-13: 978-1426300257
Children of the Midnight Sun, Young Native Voices of Alaska,
by Tricia Brown, Roy Corral (Photographer). Publisher:
Alaska Northwest Books ISBN-13: 978-0882406176
Flutes Journey, by Lynne Cherry. Publisher: Gulliver Green
ISBN-13: 978-0152928537
Paddle-to-the-Sea, by Holling C. Holling. Publisher:
Houghton Mifin ISBN-13: 978-0395292037
South America, by Carl Proujan. Publisher: National
Geographic Society ISBN-10: 079224382X
The Discovery of the Americas, by Betsy Maestro,
Giulio Maestro (Illustrator). Publisher: HarperTrophy
ISBN-13: 978-0688115128
Young Adult
Ancient Pueblo, by Anita Croy. Publisher: National
Geographic Society ISBN-13: 978-1426301308
Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus,
by Carolina Maria de Jesus. Publisher: Signet Classics
ISBN-13: 978-0451529107
Legends of Land Forms, by Carole G. Vogel. Publisher:
Millbrook Press ISBN-13: 978-0761302728
B. Websites
www.MyWonderfulWorld.org
www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions
www.nationalgeographic.com/2000/projections
www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/technology.html
http://earthtrends.wri.org/
http://earthtrends.wri.org/datatables/index.php?theme=3
http://www.prb.org/datander.aspx
http://www.worldmapper.org/
http://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap/
31
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
C. Glossary
Atlas: A collection of maps in book form.
Cardinal directions: The four main points of the compass
north (N), south (S), west (W), and east (E).
Cartographer: A person who designs and creates maps.
Compass rose: A symbol on a map that indicates the maps
orientation in relationship to the four cardinal directions.
Cultural features: Features on a map that have been
created by humans, such as cities, buildings, farms, roads,
and canals.
Equator: An imaginary circle around Earth that divides
the globe into two equal parts: the Northern Hemisphere
and the Southern Hemisphere. The equator is used as the
starting (or zero) point for measurements of latitude.
Geography: The study of Earths surface, including the
distribution and interaction of its physical, biological, and
cultural features.
Globe: A scale model of Earth in the form of a sphere.
Grid: A pattern of intersecting lines overlaid on a map that
help readers determine where things are located and how
to get from one place to another.
Hemisphere: One half of Eartheither the northern or
southern half as divided by the equator, or the western
or eastern half as divided by the Prime Meridian and the
International Date Line.
Latitude lines: Imaginary lines (also called parallels) that
run in an east-west direction around the Earth parallel to
the equator, and that are used to measure location north
or south of the equator.
Legend: A key to the symbols used on a map.
Longitude lines: Imaginary lines (also called meridians)
that run in a north-south direction around Earth
connecting the North and South Poles, and that are used
to measure location east or west of the Prime Meridian.
Map: A graphic representation of the Earth, or a portion
of it, that is usually drawn to scale on a at surface.
Map projection: A method of representing Earths three-
dimensional surface as a two-dimensional surface,
attempting to show as little distortion as possible for
a particular purpose.
Physical features: Geography features that occur in nature,
such as mountains, rivers, and vegetation.
Political map: A reference map that shows locations and
boundaries established by governments, such as states
and cities.
Prime Meridian: An imaginary line that runs in a north-
south direction between Earths two poles. The Prime
Meridian is used as the starting point (0 degrees longitude)
for measurements of longitude.
Scale: The relationship between a linear measurement on
a map and the corresponding distance in reality.
Symbol: A shape or small image on a map that represents
a geographic feature such as a mountain or habitat.
Thematic map: A map that focuses on a theme or topic
(e.g., population or climate) and that shows the spatial
distribution of that theme or topic.
32
Geography Action! Mapping the Americas Toolkit
Appendix: MAPS
Reprinted with permission of National Geographic Maps.
All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission of National Geographic Books.
All rights reserved.
The Americas. National Geographic Maps Washington, DC:
National Geographic, 2000.
Food and Forests. National Geographic Atlas of the World,
8
th
Ed. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2005, p. 19.
Earthquakes and Volcanoes of the Americas. National
Geographic Atlas of the World, 8
th
Ed. Washington, DC:
National Geographic, 2005, p. 8.
Cultures. National Geographic Atlas of the World, 8
th
Ed.
Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2005, p. 15.
Energy and Minerals. National Geographic Atlas of the
World, 8
th
Ed. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2005,
p. 20.
Cartographic Projections of the Earth. National Geographic
Atlas of the World, 8
th
. Washington, DC: National
Geographic, 2005, p. 2.
The Continent: North America. National Geographic World
Atlas for Young Explorers, 3
rd
Ed. Washington DC: National
Geographic, 2007. p. 63.
The Continent: North America. National Geographic World
Atlas for Young Explorers, 3
rd
Ed. Washington DC: National
Geographic, 2007. p. 62.
Environmental Hotspots. National Geographic World Atlas
for Young Explorers, 3
rd
Ed. Washington DC: National
Geographic, 2007. p. 30-31.
The Continent: South America. National Geographic World
Atlas for Young Explorers, 3
rd
Ed. Washington DC: National
Geographic, 2007. p. 78.
Human Footprint. National Geographic World Atlas
for Young Explorers, 3
rd
Ed. Washington DC: National
Geographic, 2007. p. 31.
Photo Credits
cover, Danny Warren/2008 Used under license from Shutterstock.com; p. 1, iStockphoto.com/Irina
Tischenko; p. 3, Doug Lemke/2008 Used under license from Shutterstock.com; p. 7, Iamanew-
bee/2008 Used under license from Shutterstock.com; p. 9, (top) Invisible, (middle) Sandra Cun-
ningham, (bottom) Radu Razvan/2008 Used under license from Shutterstock.com; p. 13, Chris
Howey/2008 Used under license from Shutterstock.com; p. 15, Holger Ehlers, javarman/2008 Used
under license from Shutterstock.com; p. 16, iStockphoto.com/John Pitcher; p. 18 (top) Thomas J.
Abercrombie/NGS, (middle) Volksmar K. Wentzel/NGS, (bottom) Thomas J. Abercrombie/NGS; p. 20, (top)
Tom C. Amon, (middle) Mario Lopes, (bottom) Mikael Damkier, (left) Joshua Haviv/2008 Used
under license from Shutterstock.com; p. 21, Albert Moldavy/NGS; p. 22, Joe Barbarite/2008 Used under
license from Shutterstock.com; p. 23, Morgan Lane Photography/2008 Used under license from Shut-
terstock.com; p. 25 Sam Abell/NGS; p. 28 (top) WizData, inc., (middle) Jim Lopes, (bottom) Thomas
Barrat, (left) Olena Savytska/2008 Used under license from Shutterstock.com; p. 29, Boguslaw Ma-
zur/2008 Used under license from Shutterstock.com, National Geographic World Atlas for Young Explor-
ers, 3
rd
Edition Reprinted with permission of National Geographic Books. All rights reserved.
Largest Country in size
Canada
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